Tag Archives: imagination

Innovative thinking and broadening your horizons is a must if you want to work your way up to the road of success. Creative thinking is not something that is just restricted to good genes. There are many ways you can boost your creativity. Sometimes, all you need is a fresh perspective and the will to get inspired. In this fast changing world, you need to stay ahead of your peers. Hence, do not be afraid of stepping outside your comfort zone and thinking outside the box. Here are some tips to boost your creativity:

1. Restrict Yourself

It is easy to overwhelm yourself when you have a supernova of ideas inside your head. Sometimes, when you are focusing too much on thinking outside the box, you can get carried away. This hinders your performance and keeps you from having a proper sense of direction. Dr. Seuss would often put word restrictions on himself while writing books. Restricting yourself prevents you from falling back on past success. The next time you are writing a short story, aim for 500 words instead of a 1000. This method will challenge your mind to brainstorm for the best ideas.

2. Partner Up With Somebody

Creative solutions are a result of a string of ideas. Team up with a person that not only inspires you and has great ideas but is easy to work with. Understand that one thought leads to another until you finally find your way to a solution. Talk to somebody and brainstorm ideas with them. On the plus side, you are less likely to get distracted when you are working with somebody as you will be held accountable for your setbacks and shortcomings. However, be sure to pick somebody that is easy and flexible to work with.

3. Daydream but Only After Getting Started

Daydreaming can actually result in improving productivity and stimulating creativity. However it only works when you have already committed effort towards the project. Formulate a plan and get your foundation ready before you start daydreaming. Daydreaming allows you to incubate new ideas but this is only useful when you already have a plan in action.

4. Stay Positive

While negative mood can sometimes spur creativity, recent research has shown adopting a positive attitude invites more ideas. Influence your mood by thinking happy thoughts. Recall good memories that you have with your family and friends. A positive atmosphere will help boost your creative skills.

5. Stop Making Excuses

If you want to achieve something, you need to get off the couch and stop making excuses. The primary thing holding you back from your creativity is procrastination. It does not matter how much potential you have if you are not willing to unleash it. If you want to get somewhere in life or want something dearly, you need to make a serious effort towards reaching your goals. Creativity will come if you give it a chance. You just need to get up and get going, else all you will have is disappointment and regret.

By not feeling inhibited by your thoughts, I guarantee that you’ll feel wild and independent and will have a surge of ideas.

We are innately creative creatures at heart. Humans tend to have huge imaginations and there are no limits to what we can think about. Sometimes we don’t utilize this part of our mind as often as we should. I encourage you to draw, create and express yourself whenever you have the time.

Drawing and creating may seem like it is meant for children than for adults. But that is the mindset that can lead us off track. Being able to use your imagination is not limited by your age. We as adults fear being perceived as irresponsible when we want to create and draw things. Don’t let this perception hurt your imagination.

Being able to create something, whether it is a painting or a different kind of art form, is an exhilarating experience. Not only do you have the freedom to think about whatever and however you like, but in the end, you have something to show. The feeling of not being suppressed by your thoughts and being able to let loose and be free in being able to create is what I aspire all of my readers to try to achieve.

When you are procrastinating or do not know what to do next, take the time in your schedule to doodle and let your imagination roam. Don’t hold back. Think about the wildest and crazy thing you can image. By not feeling inhibited by your thoughts, I guarantee that you’ll feel wild and independent and will have a surge of ideas.

Through my drawings and creations, I find I can show people a part of myself. I don’t think people tend to see me for who I am through conversations at times but when they see the things I’ve been working on, such as this blog, they see where my passion lies. Invest your time into creating things that make you proud. Don’t limit yourself. Be free. Draw, create and express yourself.

Writer’s block is a demon to my soul. Seriously. Writing every day for this blog is draining. Most of it is not because of a lack of passion but because writer’s block often creeps in from time to time. Today, for example, I sit in my chair and I ponder for a bit and procrastinate before I am able to start writing. I know what I have to do but I put it off and this infuriates me.All writers struggle with this block and in order to overcome it, you must be willing to challenge your way of thinking and learn to just do it.

The life of a writer is not as peachy as people can make it out to be. The biggest obstacle comes from sitting down and not knowing what to write. You struggle internally and a sense of frustration grows within you. There is a feeling of inadequacy and not feeling competent to complete the task. Writer’s block frustrates me because it makes me feel like I can never be a writer. It makes me second guess my abilities and whether I am good enough. You mustn’t let these thoughts get to you because overcoming writer’s block can produce a great sense of achievement.

Too often, people give up at the drop of a coin when they encounter writer’s block. Don’t. Keep going. As I type on my laptop, releasing words at a rapid pace, I find myself relaxed and free and not focusing too hard. I find myself feeling creative and having fun regardless of what is being written. This is the feeling when you are free from writer’s block. You feel content just putting things down without a second thought. If you have writer’s block, let go and type away, even if it does not make sense and soon you’ll feel that the writer’s block is no longer there.

Besides being willing to let go, every writer should understand that what they are writing will always need editing. This means that the initial draft should not be a place where you backtrack and edit everything you say. Write the first thoughts that come into your mind and savor your accomplishment of putting words down on paper. We are often too focused on being a perfectionist and making sure everything looks right and that is the wrong approach to have when it comes to writing.

Writer’s block can be the downfall of many writers. People will often give up on their work and lose their passion because of it. However, by acknowledging that every writer goes through this process and that you are not alone can help with your mentality and well-being. Learn to overcome this block by simply forcing yourself to do it and don’t think twice after you put something down. This is how masterpieces are achieved.

My morning begins when my alarm blares loudly at about 5 AM and when I turn to look at the clock, I groan that the day has to begin. I force myself out of bed, with the allure of the snooze button before me, and head to the bathroom to release myself from my full bladder. After the feeling of satisfaction subside, I drag my feet to the kitchen, make myself a cup of warm water and plop myself in front of my laptop to start my daily writing ritual. As part of my ritual, I write for this blog as well as review its content. I take time to write in a daily journal. I also free write creatively and set 500 words as my goal. Yes. I have a lot of writing on my plate and it has never been easy, but I know it is something I am required to do. Writing can be a useful habit and help in different ways. If you feel you are suffering, then writing can help you cope.

Writing gives me a chance to escape from reality. Because writing is a private affair, I find myself divulging all of my emotions into the piece. If I am angry, then I channel it into my work. The same goes with when I am sad, jealous, and frustrated. It is a way to release the tension in your body and rid yourself of any negative energy you may have pent up.

Putting stuff down on paper organizes my random thoughts into coherency. Our mind is like an inbox filled with all our mail and once in a while we need to go through it and sort out the pile. Writing can help with the process. It filters all of the ideas in your head and creates something tangible for you to see.

A big advantage to writing is that it allows the writer to think out of the box. We use our imagination and not hold back. When we have conversations or speak in public, we censor ourselves. While writing, there is no censorship needed. We can write freely and openly. We don’t have to set limits on what we want to write. We can ramble on or write nonsensically and not be fearful of the repercussion (unless you’re writing offensive material, then you should be more cautious). Writing gives power to creative individuals who want to feel free and invent new ideas.

I find I am honest when I write. Any writing I do privately is exclusively for me. Because of this, nothing is off-limits. When I am angry, my writing will reflect it. This allows me to avoid doing it verbally. It’s less damaging and more emotionally beneficial. Writing gives you the chance to say what is truly on your mind without offending another person. You become more aware of how you are feeling when you finish writing honestly and can find your flaws.

Finally, writing expands my capacity to learn. It improves my diction and grammar. I learn new ways to write more creatively and to be more structured in my work. Without writing every day, I wouldn’t be able to improve myself. Like anything else in life, practice makes perfect and the more you write, the stronger you will notice your writing will be.

Writing can be a meticulous thing to do every day, but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Set aside time for you to write and force yourself to create something, regardless of how bad it is. Over time, you will see your writing improve and can find solace in it during emotionally draining moments. It can be an outlet for you when you have nothing to do or when you want to be creative. Writing helps and I hope you get to feel its benefits over time.

When I was younger, I remember having an active imagination. I dreamt of being on pirate ships and transforming intomagical beings with powers. I envisioned crossing a hot desert with a band of superheroes ready to face any and all dangers that came our way. I had stories of adventures to tell my parents and they would listen contently. Yet this imagination I once had seems to have died once I began my adulthood and I’m sad to see it go in this manner.

Imagination keeps us alive and provides us with creative ideas. It seems like we lost this sense of what it means to have an imagination when we become older because of how much burden there is in our day-to-day life. I find the responsibilities and duties of our jobs prevent us from having fun. We get chastised for daydreaming and imagining fun scenarios to be in. It is as if reality is constantly forced upon us and there is no escape.

But we do need to escape! Imagination is key to having a wonderful life because it provides time for us to forget about the things we need to do. Our lives are constantly based on getting things done and making money and tending to our responsibilities that we forget what it’s like to be a kid again. We get burnt out from life and grow increasingly bored from our routines. This is not a way to live!

I encourage you to seek different ways of salvaging your imagination. Realize your imagination is a prized possession and if you lose it, it can be difficult to get it back. There are several things you can do to keep your imagination going:

Daydream –It’s often looked down in the work environment but from time to time, take a moment for yourself and have fun thinking about all the things you would like to have in your life and how it can come true one day. Enjoy the “what ifs” in life and imagine different adventures you like to be a part of. Think about how much you fun you want to have and the way you could be able to achieve that fun. The more you daydream, the more likely you will work towards that dream of yours.

Write –Everyday take the time to write something down! Come up with of a creative idea and take about half an hour to expand upon it. Don’t edit or limit yourself. Learn to embrace the wild and vivid things that flow into your mind. It’s tough to write if you don’t do it habitually and so instilling a daily practice of writing will help your imagination flow. You never know where your project will eventually go.

Watch Movies/Theater/Play Video Games – These are all hobbies that you should do once in a while. Take the storyline ofa movie you watched or a play you saw and see if can adjust it and make it your own. You find a video game you like? Then imagine how you would make the game better and imagine yourself as being physically in the games. By putting yourself directly into a project, you feel more involved and it can help create a new world for you.

Imagination is often an overlooked component during one’s development. By not keeping the youthful ways you had as a child, you run the risk of becoming a disgruntled adult with a negative view on life. Keep your imagination intact so that it can blossom your creativity and continue to make you see the world in a different light.

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Who is Self-Starter Anh?

My name is Anh Phan and I am a self-starter and life coach. I provide the tools you need to get things done. Join my community which encourages members to support each other in a positive manner. I can help you foster happiness in your life. I am revolutionizing what it means to be productive and content with what we already have. Let me help you become a self-starter! Read more here